Improvement in coke-ovens



3 Sheets-Sheet 1- H. AITKEN.

COKE-OVEN Patented N617, 9, 1875.

u W w w v A A lqwvd a 3 Sheets sheet. 2. H. AITKEN.

COKE-OVEN.

' Patented N'ov.9,1875.V

N.FEI'ERS. PHOTO-UTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, n (L 3 Sheets-Sheet 3'.

H. AITKEN. COKE-OVEN.

'Pateflt-ed Nov.9,1875-.

ILPEIERs, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON D c,

' lvrrnn j STATES PATENT @FFICE.

HENRY AITKEN, OF FALKIBK, NORTH BRITAIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN COKE-OVENS.

- Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 169,756, dated November 9, 1875; application filed November 20, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY AITKEN, of.

Falkirk, in the county of Stirling, North Britain, have invented improvements in coking coal and other carbonaceous matters, and in the apparatus employed therefor, of which the following is a specification: i

The object of myinvention is a coking-oven in which air, after being thoroughly heated by passing through heated channels, is directed among thegases arising from coke arranged upon a stationary or movable bottom, all as described hereafter, and as shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section; Fig. 2, a partial plan in section, and Fig. 3 a

sectional elevation, of an oven or kiln constructed to coke coal or other carbonaceous matters in accordance with this invention.

As shown at Fig. 1 the oven or kiln is con structed with a chamber or space, F, in the roof thereof, which may communicate with the outer atmosphere, or with a pipe or passage, through which air is conducted, and with the interior Q of the oven or kiln by the perforations or air-passages 00.! The kiln or oven is formed with ports or openings ED communicatin g between the interior 0 of the oven or kiln and the flue B, which extends at each side of the kilp or oven from each side of the charging and drawing doorway to the fine H, through which the products of combustion are conveyed away from the oven or kiln by means of a stalk or chimney, or other means of producing a draft. The flue H is provided with a damper, I, for regulating the draft, and a side damper, I, is provided in order that, should leakage occur at the damper I, when the latter is closed, the draft of the chimney may draw air through the opening at I, and not through the oven or kiln.

In operating with this arrangement of oven or kiln the coal or other carbonaceous matters to be coked is introduced to the interior thereof through the doorway or opening G, and ignited in the ordinary manner, and so soon as sufficient gas comes off or is evolved from the material being coked, a wall is built, or other stopping put in across the opening at E, inside the flue B, and plastered up so as to connect the side walls, and leave a space for the gases to pass round"; The outside.

doorway or opening at G is also closed, and the draft through the tines B and H (see ar rows, Fig. 2,) insures or facilitates the flow of atmospheric air through the chamber F to the interior 0 of the oven or kiln, whercat it comes in contact and mixes with the gases arising from the coal or other carbonaceous matters, burning a whole or portion of the same, producing a very high temperature, and thereby coking the charge, ailter which the products of combustion pass oli' through the ports or passages D, and fines B and H. The admission of air is continued and regulated as long as gas continues to be evolved from the materials being coked, after which the said materials may be watered out and withdrawn, or allowed to remain in the oven or kiln to cool.

In place of drawing in the air by the action of a chimneyit may be blown or forced in under pressure through pipes A placed in the fiuesB at each side of the oven. From the pipes A winding or meandering pipes E (the contours of which are more particularly seen in dotted lines in Fig. 3) conduct the air-blast to the chambers F, from whence it passes to the interior through the apertures or perforations :10. The side flues B are closed at each end by doors, (not shown in the drawings,) but which are movable to ad'ord access to the interiors of the flues, and access is had to the J and upper portions a of the bonds at the junctions thereof, which portions are made separate from the remainder of the bends. When the cover J and portion a have been so removed the passage to the chamber F may be closed by the stopper P, Fig. 1.

It will be apparent that the oven may be circular, in which case the flue B will be annular.

Under another arrangement of forcing or blowing heated air into the upper part of coking ovens or kilns illustrated in vertical sections at Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the air, after be: ing forced or blown through the pipe A, and being heated therein, or previously heated by the waste gases from the oven or otherwise, passes through the branch pipe Q, from whence it is blown into the upper part of the oven or kiln through the tuyeres or jets w. The oven or kiln. may be charged through holes M in the top, or charged and drawn through an opening or doorway, G, at the end or side, and the products of combustion pass off from the oven or kiln by the port N.

Any desired number of coking ovens or kilns may be situated in a double line on each side of the main flue, and cocks or fly-valves may be provided by which to'regulate or cut off the air-blast from any one or more of such ovens.

The waste products of combustion resulting from the coking of coal or other carbonaceous matter in any of the ovens herein described and shown, may, besides heating the air-blast, be employed in raising steam for forcing or blowing the air into-the upper parts of the ovens or kilns, or for heating and raising steam, or a portion of the gases may be conveyed away from the ovens or kilns for other purposes. When there is more tarry matter than is necessary for grindering the carbonaceous. matter being coked or carbonized, a portion of the same may be drawn off at the bottom of the ovens or kilns by means of pipes, and thereafter condensed, and thereby a portion of the tar and tar-water secured.

Where the coking operations are to be continuous-th at is to say, several charges of coal are to be coked successively, and all ultimately drawn from the improved ovens or kilns at one operationthe lower portions of the kilns are constructed as shown in Figs. 4=l30 9-that is, with the bottom of the kiln or oven movable, or capable of being raised or lowered, and fixed at any required level by means of hydraulic rams. racks, and pinions, or by blocks and tackle, or by mechanical equivalents of these.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section; Fig. 5, an elevation of the end marked A in Fig. 4.; and Fig. 6a transverse section on the line a b, Fi 4.

The oven or kiln is formed as an air-tight chamber, A, at one side of which, at thelower end, isa doorway, B, andat or near to the upper end-of the chamber, vents or passages, G, are formed in one end thereof, so that should the gas, arising from the carbonaceous matter being coked, explode in the chamber it will do no harm, as, by the force of the explosion, the plugs D, by which the passages or vents are closed, are blown outward from their seats. The vents or passages G also serve as holes through which to spread the carbonaceous matters over the bottom of the oven, as before described. The plugs D are suspended from chains passed over pulleys E, at the opposite extremities of which counter-weights E are attached. The opening at B is closed by doors B B when the oven or kiln is in operation; and it is preferred to make the door B of iron lined with brick or fire-clay. In case the gases explode in the lower part of the oven or kiln a safety-valve, W, is placed in the door 13, which allows the gases to escape similarly to the valves D at the other side of the oven.

The bottom F of the oven or kiln, which is capable of being raised and lowered, and fixed at any desired position by the hydraulic rain G, is preferably made of iron with a sole composed of slabs of tire-clay or other refractory material, and it is provided with wheels H, by which the bottom F, when at its lowest position, may be run on rails out of the chamber of the oven or kiln. When in a raised position the movable bottom F is supported on a framing or platform, I, fixed on the head of the ram G, as shown. A light rope or chain, J, is attached to the framing or platform I, and passed round pulleys K, to the outside of the oven or kiln, whereat it is attached to a small weight,'L, by which the position of the movable bottom at the interior of the oven or kiln is indicated. the weight L rising and falling with the bottom F. The chargingopenings M, formed in the arch of the oven or kiln on each side of the flue N, are provided with plugs O, which are of fire-clay or other refractory material. The air for burning the gases issuing from the substances being coked is forced or blown through the pipe P, Fig. 5, from whence it passes into the pipes Q, at each side of the oven or kiln, as before stated, and enters the upper part thereof between the charge of material being coked or carbonized and the arch B, through the tuyeres orjets x, and, impinging upon the gases evolved from the said materials, consumes or partially consumes the same, the products of combustion thereafter passing off through the flue N In operating with the oven or kiln, the bottom F is first raised to its highest position by forcing water into the cylinder S, for raising the ram G and bottom F. The oven or kiln is then charged, through the openings M, with the niateria-l'to be coked or carbonized, which is ignited through the openings M, or through the vents or passages G, and when sufficient gases begin to be evolved therefrom the openings M and vents or passages G are closed by their respective stoppers or plugs, and the airblast is blown in through the tuyeres p0. After the first charge has been coked or carbonized by the heat of the burning gases, and while the coke and the oven or kiln are still hot, the ramGis allowed to descend, thereby carrying down the movable bottom F, and coke thereon, a distance sufficient to receive another chargeot' carbonaceous matters above the coke. This second charge is, in its turn, also coked or carbonized, and thereon is again moved downward, after which the bottom, with the two charges of coke, is lowered to receive a third charge, this succession of lowering and coking operations being cbntinued until the movable bottom reaches the lower end of the chamber, when, with the coke upon it, it is run out on the rails b andremoved, after which the bottom is replaced in its position above the ram G, (or another movable bottom may be substituted therefor,) the ram with the bottom is raised again in the cham- -ber A, and the oven is then ready for receiving another succession of charges.

The oven is, preferabl y, formed with a sh ght taper from the bottom to the top, so as to allow the charge to descend without much friction, and the door side of the oven is, preferably, made wider. so as to permit of the coke being withdrawn with facility.

A scale is, or may be, fixed in the brickwork of the oven or kiln opposite the hanging weight L, by which means the descent of the movable bottomat each succeeding charge of carbonaceous matters is or may be indicated.

An especial feature of the coke oven or kiln is that the heat of the successive charges of coke is utilized for effecting a portion of the succeeding coking operations, so that fuel, time, and material are economized.

By the high heat obtained at once the oven or kiln is capable of coking or earbonizing many substances that will not coke in ovens or kilns as hitherto constructed.

In lieu of raising, lowering, and fixing at any desired level, the. movable bottom of the coking oven or kiln constructed in accordance with my said invention, by a hydraulic ram,

. as hereinbefore described and shown, racks and pinions may be employed for that purpose, as shown in vertical section'at Fig. 7, in transverse section on the line 0 d, Fig. 7, at Fig. 8, and in sectional plan on the line a. b, Fig. 7, at Fig. 9.

The air may be forced or blown into theovens or kilns, herei nbefore described, by means of'a blowing engine or fan, or other contrivance, or it may be forced in by heating the air at a lower level than the ovens. \Vhen the air is drawn into the ovens or kilns this may be effected by an exhaust-fan by the draft of the chimney or stalk, or by steam or wa ter jets, the exit of the gases in any case being regulated by means of dampers or stoppers placed in the fines or outlets of the ovens or kilns.

In lieu of heating the air by conducting it through pipes placed in the gas-exit fines, it may be heated in a separate air-heatin g apparatus, communicating with the ovens or kilns by pipes, around and among which the gases from the ovens or kilns are made to circulate; or the air may be heated by passing it and the gases through fines alternately, and these fines maybe made large, and partly filled with brick or other refractory material. More air may be added to the gases as they pass through the fines or heaters, in order to exhaust their heating powers.

- It is to be especially observed that it is of great advantage to introduce the air [o the ovens or kilns, in the modes hereinbefore described, as highly heated as possible, and at numerous small apertures, and it is also of advantage to direct the air upward as it, enters the oven or kiln.

It is obvious from the construction of the improved ovens or kilns embraced by this invention, and-from supplying the air to coking ovens or kilns in the manner illustrated, that the amount of air passing into the ovens or kilns may be so regulated as to consume only the gases arising from the carbonaceous matters being eoked or carbonized. or such portion thereof as may be required to effect the coking or carbonizing operation without c011- suming the coke or carbonaceous matters themselves.

I claim-- 1. The combination of the oven G, surrounding passage B, and heating-pipes, arranged in the passage B and communicating with channels or tuyeres :0 leading to the oven, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The dampers I I, combined with the exitfiue, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the pipes E, detachable bends a a, and removable covers J, as set forth.

4. The combination of the oven, having openings at the sides, and stoppers D, fitted loosely tosaid openings, and connected by chains to the walls of the oven, or other permanent object, for the purpose set forth.

, 5. The combination of the oven, its outletfiue and tuyeres m, a movable bottom or plat form, and mechanism for lowering the bottom to bring each successive charge to a position within the oven below the tnyeres, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY AITKEN. [L. 8.] Witnesses:

GEORGE MAGAULAY ORUIKsHANK, JOHN MAG NIsH. 

